Tag: winter

This comforting Rigatoni with Polpette in Sugo by the talented Julia Busuttil Nishimura is everything you crave in a winter dish — rich, hearty, and full of flavour. Tender meatballs simmer in a classic tomato sugo, brought to life with the clean, bright finish of Maldon Sea Salt. It’s simple, soulful cooking at its best.

  1. Make the polpette by placing the bread in a small bowl and pouring over enough milk to just cover the bread. Allow it to soak for 15 minutes then squeeze out the excess milk and crumb in the milk-soaked bread into a large bowl. Add the pork and beef mince, egg, Parmigiano Reggiano and nutmeg. Season well with Maldon sea salt and black pepper. Roll into walnut sized balls and set aside in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, make the sauce by warming the oil in a pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onion, parsley stalks and a good pinch of salt and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion has softened. Pour in the passata, add 400 ml of water and a good pinch of Maldon sea salt. Bring to a simmer.
  3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat and brown the meatballs. Transfer to the sauce and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 45 minutes – 1 hour or until the sauce is thick and rich and the meatballs are tender and plump. Season to taste. If the sauce thickness too much, add a little more water as it cooks.
  4. Cook the pasta in a large pot of generously salted water until al dente and transfer the pasta to a large bowl, reserving some of the pasta water. Add a few ladlefuls of the sauce into the pasta, adding some pasta water if needed and toss to coat. Add the remaining meatballs and sauce and top with plenty of parmigiano reggiano and serve.

Recipe by Julia Busuttil Nishimura.

Start your morning with a stack of warm, fluffy pancakes topped with tender, spiced apples bathed in rich, golden salted caramel. This comforting twist on a breakfast classic brings together the airy texture of homemade pancakes with the indulgent sweetness of caramelized fruit. Perfect for cozy weekends or impressing brunch guests, this recipe strikes a delicious balance between sweet and salty, soft and crisp. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or just want to treat yourself, these pancakes are a mouthwatering way to begin the day.

  1. Start by mixing the batter for the pancakes. In a large bowl add the flour, baking powder and caster sugar and give it a whisk so it is well incorporated.
  2. In a jug mix together the eggs, whole milk and vanilla extract. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and then slowly pour in the milk mixture whisk as you go, until you have a smooth batter.
  3. Heat a knob of butter in a non-stick frying pan and then when foaming, begin to ladel in your pancake batter to the size you want. Allow them to cook for a couple of minutes, until you see small holes and bubbles appear in the batter, then flip them and cook on the other side until golden and cooked through. You will need to do this in batches, but you can keep the cooked ones on a tray in a low oven to stay warm.
  4. While you are making the pancakes, get a second pan on a low heat and add another knob of butter. Allow this to melt and then add the apple slices. Cook them on each side for roughly 4 minutes until they are caramelized and softened. Keep turning them in the pan until they have cooked through, are starting to collapse but still holding their shape. Then remove them from the pan and set aside while you make salted caramel sauce.
  5. In a saucepan add the 100g butter, soft brown sugar, and double cream. Turn the heat on low and allow the mixture to slowly melt, using a wooden spoon to gently encourage it. Once all the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, take off the heat and stir through a generous pinch of Maldon sea salt. Set aside to cool slightly.
  6. When all your pancakes are ready, take the cooked apple slices and stir them through the salted caramel sauce. Serve a stack of the pancakes with a generous spoonful of the apples and salted caramel sauce.

Helena Moursellas’ Salted Walnut and Cinnamon Kataifi brings together the perfect balance of sweet and savoury, topped off with Maldon Sea Salt. Enjoy with a Greek cup of coffee!

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Grease the base and sides of a 22cm x 16cm rectangular baking dish with some of the melted butter.
  2. For the syrup, combine the ingredients and 250ml (1 cup) of water in a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until the sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool completely.
  3. In a mini food processor, whizz the pistachios and walnuts until the nuts are finely chopped. Place in a mixing bowl along with the salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and sugar and mix to combine.
  4. Unroll the kataifi pastry and, using your hands, gently separate the pastry. Be careful when handling kataifi pastry – it is very fragile.
  5. Tear off a piece of kataifi, 4 cm wide and 14 cm long, brush with melted butter and place 1 tablespoon of the nut filling on top at the short end. Roll the pastry tightly to form a 7cm cylinder. Place on the prepared dish and repeat the process with the remainder of the pastry and filing. Any remaining butter, pour over the kataifi.
  6. Brush the tops of all the kataifi rolls with butter, and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
  7. Once the kataifi are cooked, evenly pour the cold syrup over the top and allow to cool to room temperature and all the syrup has been absorbed.

Winter entertaining made easy with Helena Moursellas’ feta, pumpkin, and honey filo pita. Infused with Maldon Sea Salt, it’s the perfect blend of Greek flavours for your next gathering.

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a large roasting tray with baking paper.
  2. Place the pumpkin, garlic, rosemary onto the tray, drizzle with olive oil and honey, season with Maldon Sea Salt flakes and cracked pepper. Roast in the oven for 25 minutes until tender.
  3. Remove pumpkin from the oven, discard skin from garlic and roughly smash with a fork. Place into a bowl along with the feta, herbs, cheese and egg.
  4. Grease a 20cm x 30cm baking tray.
  5. Place 1 sheet of filo pastry, with the long edge facing you, on a clean work surface. Brush with butter and place another sheet on top. Spread 4 tablespoons of the mixture along the side closest to you and roll up to fully enclose. Carefully cut in half. Place into the prepared baking tin and continue with remaining filling and filo pastry. Brush with butter, scatter with sesame seeds and place into the oven for 40 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Slice and serve hot.